Trolley service has returned to the City of St. Louis, with free rides, Monday-Saturday from 11:30AM to 9:30PM and Sunday from 11:30AM to 7:30PM, on a loop that reaches 8 stops, including the Saint Charles Convention Center, Ameristar Casino and Main Street. Archived slfp.com photo

Free Trolley Service Returns to City of Saint CharlesST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com)- A new free trolley service has returned to St. Charles and will run through December 31st.

The 30-minute loop will serve the tens of thousands of visitors who come to Saint Charles annually by offering an easy alternative to having to drive their vehicles in order to experience the destination. Of course locals looking for a fun trip on the Trolley are also encouraged to take advantage of the service.

Whether they're travelling on business, visiting with friends and family to attend some of the many great events in Frontier Park, or in the city as part of one of the conventions held at the Saint Charles Convention Center, visitors will find the trolley service to be a very convenient way to experience much of what Saint Charles has to offer.

The Trolley will operate Monday-Saturday from 11:30AM to 9:30PM and Sunday from 11:30AM to 7:30PM. The Trolley loop will take approximately thirty minutes, making it convenient to jump on and off while you visit the many areas of the City.

The route will consist of 8 stops; The Saint Charles Convention Center, The Streets of Saint Charles, Ameristar Casino Resort, two stops on Main Street, near the Foundry Art Centre, Frenchtown, and in the Mark Twain Shopping Center. One key element of the trolley service is that each trolley driver will also serve as an informed guide to the destination by speaking to the wonderful history of Saint Charles, as well as, informing guests of the key places to visit in a fun and engaging way.

"We are so excited to have this service to offer to visitors and residents of St. Charles," said Mayor Sally Faith. "It will provide a convenient and fun way to see all the wonderful areas our City has to offer. You can ride the trolley down to Main Street for dinner and shopping, or hop off at Ameristar for some casino fun. If It's Happening, It's Happening In St. Charles ... and the trolley will get you there."

First State Capitol of Missouri (1821 - 1826)

Statue of Daniel Boone by Harry Weber near the Trail to Fort Osage marker which describes the overland route (established August 25, 1808) linking St. Charles with the site of Fort Osage that was most likely the earliest trail used by American settlers heading west following the ridges that divide the Missouri River and Mississippi River watersheds. See Historic Daniel Boone Home

Historic St. Charles - Missouri's First CapitolST. CHARLES, MO, (SLFP.com)- Before Missouri was granted statehood on August 10, 1821, various locations in St. Louis has served as the seat of government for territorial affairs. Until the new Capitol could be constructed on an undeveloped tract of land located in the center of the state overlooking the Missouri River, several cities vied for the honor of hosting the temporary seat of government. The citizens of St. Charles, located on the Missouri River at the end of Boonslick Road, pledged free meeting space if their city was choosen.

The meeting place for the state legistators was provided on the second floor of a Federal-style brick building, owned by merchants, Charles and Ruluff Peck, and a craftsman named Chauncey Shepard. The floor was divided and used as Senate and House chambers, an office for the governor, and a small committee room.

After years of decay, the state of Missouri bought the Capitol complex, located at 200-216 S. Main, in 1961 and began a ten-year restoration project that initiated the revitalization of the historic core of St. Charles. Eleven rooms in the complex have been restored. The Peck brothers' residence and general store also have been restored and furnished as they might have looked in the mid-1800s.

Today, visitors can experience early St. Charles as a prosperous trading center along the ten-block Nationally Registerd Historic District with brick streets, gas lights, lovingly restored buildings and Missouri's First State Capitol. The Capitol complex is open to the public from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Sunday hours are from noon until 6 p.m. during the summer and from noon - 5 p.m. during the winter months.

The Frenchtown District welcomes visitors with unique antique and collectible shops, fine restaurants, tea rooms, several wineries, a micro brewery.

The bustling City of St. Charles, with a population of over 60,000, is host to year round activities including the Lewis and Clark Rendezvous in May, a traditional Fourth of July Festival,Festival of the Little Hills in August, Bluegrass Festival and the Civil War Reenactment in September, Oktoberfest and the St. Charles Christmas Traditions on South Main Street. The popular Katy Trail, a 230 mile hiking/bicycling trail, begins in St. Charles at Frontier Park on the Missouri Riverfront.